Chapter 5
Just Around the Corner

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For all those that have watched Cardcaptors you know where this title came from and if you don't For SHAME!!!
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"Is she okay?" asked Sakura eagerly in the hall.
"She's doing fine, but don't understand why she collapsed like that," said Tori, "Do you have any idea what happened?"
"No. All I know is that Eli collapsed and then we were all told to leave the room except for the few that new first aid," said Sakura.
"Was Jen with you when you left?" asked Tori.
"No we were all shoved out of the room pretty fast and it was madness in the halls," said Sakura.
Tori frowned and his attention was diverted to the front window.
"What?" asked Sakura.
"I've got to go I'll be back later," said Tori.
"What?" said Sakura dumbstruck. Tori was mounting his bike by the time she came to her senses.
"Where are you going!" she shouted as Tori began to peddle down the street.
"I'll be back later! Take care of Jen!" He called back and with that he disappeared down the dimly lit street. Sakura stared at the setting sun it was almost dark.
'What's going on?' she thought.
"Sakura!" called a voice down the street, it was Li and right behind him was Eli.
"Hey guys! What's up?" she asked as they approached her house.
Just as Li and Eli were about to set foot on Sakura's property the found themselves back at the beginning of her block.
"Huh?" said Sakura, "What's going on?"
This time Li and Eli ran to Sakura's house. They had only taken a step on Sakura's property when they disappeared to the beginning of the block again.
"This isn't going to work," said Eli.
"We have to warn Sakura!" said Li his eyes filled with concern. He looked towards Sakura's house.
Eli couldn't help but smile. He really cared about Sakura and it was almost cute.
"Guys, what's going on?" she called from down the street.
"Hang on a sec, Sakura!" yelled Eli.
"What is it?" asked Li.
"Defense, good defense at that," said Eli.
"What are we gonna do we can't tell Sakura," said Li.
"We'll….. hang on I have got an idea," said Eli and began to run towards Sakura's house.
"Wait for me!" called Li.
"Use Dash to get on the property!" yelled Eli.
Li nodded.

Sakura looked up and down the street.
"Where'd they go?" she said to herself.
"Where'd who go?" asked Eli with a big smile on his face.
"AHH!!!" yelled Sakura, "But you were- and how? What's going on?!"
"I'll explain inside," said Eli and linked her arm in his and escorted her inside, all the while Li stared daggers at him.

After Sakura had sat them both down and had given then both a cup of tea did anyone begin to speak.
"Sakura we have something important to tell you," said Eli.
"What?" said Sakura.
"It's about Jen," said Li
A look of growing concern covered Sakura's face.
"What's going on?" said Sakura.
"I due time I will tell you all I know but it is better if I start at the beginning," said Eli, "Do you remember the night of the earthquake?"
Sakura nodded.
"As you remember that night an earthquake swept through Japan it injured thousands," he said, " A week earlier I had sensed a new magical presence it seemed weak as if the energy had been drained right from it. I searched for it but was unable to find it and soon it cloaked itself. When the earthquake struck myself and Li felt a large magical disturbance. It was evil. There's not another word to describe it. You could tell it just felt wrong."
Sakura's face paled, "What is it?"
"I don't know, but we must keep an eye on it," said Eli.
Sakura and Li nodded.
"Now as for Jen that's an entirely different matter," said Eli.
Sakura's face went from dread to concern.
"The moment Jen walked into our classroom I wondered if she was the magic I had sensed before," said Eli, "Once more I couldn't help but express my glee when Mr. Turada sat her beside me. When she wasn't looking I cast a spell over her math book, so when she touched it I would take a sample of her magic if she had any. But for some reason when I touched her I was knocked unconscious. While unconscious I had a strange dream of being engulfed in darkness. At first it was all dark and I seemed to be glowing but soon my light began to be eaten by the darkness and eventually I felt as if I couldn't breathe but then just as everything was going completely black a blurry light figure came out of the darkness took me by my hand an lead me back to a conscious state."
"That happened to me too!" cried a voice from behind Li's chair.
"AHHH" yelled Li leaping from his chair.
Kero calmly floated out from behind it.
"Kero! What were you doing!" said Sakura angrily to him.
Li eyed the guardian suspiciously.
"Really Sakura don't you know that you shouldn't leave your stuffed animals around?" said Li pointed at Kero.
"I'll give you stuffed animal!" shouted Kero, who quickly latched his mouth around Li's finger biting as hard as he could. All the while Li tried to shake the creature by waving his arm around in the air.
Jen who was lying on the couch frowned and turned to the side.
Sakura not wanted her friends to disturb Jen grabbed Li by the arm and dragged them, all to the kitchen. Where she plopped into a chair.
Li was gritting his teeth Kero had still not let go of his finger which was starting to bleed. Sakura gave Kero a dirty look and almost immediately Kero released Li's bloody finger.
"Anyway," said Sakura, "What happened?"
"Well lets just say its safe to say Jen does have magic powers, but I can't get a proper reading because she has strained her powers some how," said Eli.
"Basically its just wait and see," said Sakura.
"Basically," chorused Li and Eli.
Sakura glanced worrily at her new friend what was going on and why was this all happening now?

A figure in black approached the sphere of darkness and knelt down on one knee.
'I trust all is in order" whispered the sphere in a voice that could kill anyone who heard it.
"All is ready my Lord," said the figure.
'And how is the transformation,' whispered the voice.
"The transformation is almost complete my Lord there is just some fine tuning to go through and then he'll be ready," said the figure.
'Excellent, and have we tracked down our little fugitive?' asked the voice.
"Yes my Lord troops set down a few days ago and are waiting for orders," said the figure.
'Excellent you know the plan, soon all the universe will be in darkness and nothing can stop it,' said the voice, ' Now go to the troops and find our friend.'


The morning sun crept onto Jen's face and she cringed. She had dreamt that she was back home and she was receiving a special ceremony. The sun light was a rude reminder she would probably never go home again. Last night had been strange, places and faces of people she knew but didn't. But in the dream it had felt as if she knew them down to the very last bit and the ceremony and no sunlight, in the dream she had known what it had all meant but now…It was all too confusing.
She wiped the sleep from her eyes and got dressed on the kitchen she found a note.

Dear Jen,
Tori went out last night and got your uniform and some other things. Tori says that you should stay home for a few more days because its too exciting at school and you need more rest. The doctor stopped by last night to give you a check up and Tori has agreed to become a legal guardian to you until we find some relatives of yours. Which means you get to use the spare room and decorate it however you like (YAY). Anyway all you stuff including what Tori bought last night is in your room. Hope you like it! ?

Sakura

PS
There's a surprise for you in you closet!!!


Jen reread the note three more times to take in what she had written. Tori was now her legal guardian?! She had a room of her OWN! She had her own STUFF!
Jen ran upstairs. Sakura had shown her the house before so she knew exactly where the guest's room was. She slowly opened the door her anticipation rising. She stood in the door just taking in the fact that this was HER room. A room that she could do whatever in without people seeing. She walked in and saw her school uniform laid out on the bed Along with her gym clothes. Other than the ripped up rags she had been wearing when she was found she had been wearing Tori's old school uniform and an old pair of PJ's that belonged to Sakura.
Jen stared down at the uniform, a skirt—blek! She decided to hold on to Tori's old uniform just in case. She stared at the other things on her bed. Toothbrush, Toothpaste, hairbrush, hair ties and clips.
Suddenly she remembered about the closet. She walked over to it and opened the door inside she found two casual outfits and below them a new pair of roller blades. Not to mention yet another letter. Jen picked up the letter and opened it her hands shaking, surely these couldn't belong to her! No there had to be a mistake! She opened the letter and began to read.

Dear Jen ,
Surprise! Tori said it would be better if I wrote the letter. I hope you like your stuff! The outfits in the closet are some of my clothes that I don't really wear, but Tori says if your up to it we can go shopping tomorrow for clothes! It'll be a great chance for you to learn to roller blade if you haven't learnt already by the time I get home! I hope you like them the gear should be there too. We can get customized tomorrow as well! This is our way of saying Welcome to the Family!

Love, Sakura

Jen trembled with excitement not only did she have her own room and things but now she also had a family! A family… she liked that thought. She put the letter on the table next to her bed grabbed a pen and paper and wrote the only thing she could think of without writing a book. She grabbed her blades and gear, ran down the stairs with a happiness she hadn't felt for aeons! She folded the note in half and put it on the kitchen table. Her hands trembled as she put on her new blades. She stood up and looked at herself in the hall mirror. It looked amazing. She ran for the door, she'd have to be quick if she wanted to be home before Tori.